The way telecom companies sell their services is changing. While these shifts are happening worldwide, they look quite different depending on where you are. What works in Paris doesn't necessarily work in Jakarta or Nairobi.
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Rethinking Physical Stores
The transformation of physical telecom stores continues to accelerate, with retailers moving beyond traditional sales counters toward more specialized functions. Orange's "Le Store" in France now focuses on refurbished devices, offering repair services and a marketplace for buying and selling used phones. This addresses a common customer pain point: knowing where to get a broken phone fixed reliably while creating ongoing touchpoints that build loyalty beyond the initial sale.
Alongside this specialization, automation is gaining momentum. Singtel in Singapore experiments with staffless 45-square-meter stores that relocate every few months to high-traffic areas, while Mobily in Saudi Arabia deployed self-service kiosks handling everything from SIM issuance to payments, essentially creating 24/7 mini-stores without personnel.
These physical changes coincide with the gradual shift to eSIM technology. Apple's iPhone 17 launched as eSIM-only in the US, UAE, and Saudi Arabia, though traditional SIM slots remain in most other regions including Europe. In Africa and Southeast Asia, physical SIM cards sold through corner shops and street vendors remain the norm, a reminder that distribution strategies must adapt to local market realities rather than follow a single global playbook.
AI Assistants Are Spreading
AI chatbots and virtual assistants that were experimental a few years ago are now becoming standard tools. Telecom companies are deploying AI assistants that can handle multiple languages and local dialects, crucial in places like Indonesia where Indosat's Sahabat-AI operates in Bahasa Indonesia plus five local languages including Javanese, Balinese and Bataknese, or Madagascar where many people speak Malagasy rather than French.
The bigger shift is how AI copilots are helping salespeople do their jobs better. These tools answer questions about plan compatibility, device specifications, network coverage, and troubleshooting. But they go further, helping agents with sales strategy: which plan to recommend for higher commissions or what talking points resonate with specific customer profiles.
In Africa, where independent agent networks handle much of the distribution, these copilots level the playing field. An agent in rural Kenya can now offer the same expertise as a major city store while understanding which offers will be most profitable for their business. The adoption of these tools will accelerate as smartphone penetration continues to grow across the continent, making AI assistance accessible to an expanding network of retail agents.
Keeping Customers Through Loyalty and Bundles
As telecom markets mature, keeping existing customers matters more than finding new ones. Loyalty programs are evolving beyond basic reward points into broader value propositions.
Du in the UAE offers a compelling example: their postpaid contracts include Disney+ and Amazon Prime fully bundled in, while prepaid customers get 50% off on yearly payments. They've also integrated everyday life vouchers for dining, shopping, and entertainment, making the telecom subscription feel like a lifestyle membership rather than just a phone plan.
Device financing is becoming a powerful retention tool. In Europe, bundling phones with 24-month postpaid contracts has been standard practice for years, locking customers into extended relationships.
This model is now spreading to emerging markets. In Africa, operators like Safaricom in Kenya and MTN in Rwanda use mobile money platforms to offer payment plans, credit, and even insurance. When your phone and your network are financed together, and repairs are available at your operator's store, the entire ecosystem reinforces customer stickiness.
Distribution Through Communities
One of the more interesting developments is how telecom companies are working with local communities to reach customers, moving beyond traditional retail and celebrity endorsements.
Operators are getting smarter about identifying community influencers through different methods. Some are using network data to spot social leaders based on call patterns and connections, pinpointing influential voices in specific communities. These are often trusted local figures without any social media presence, but whose recommendations carry weight in their neighbourhoods.
Separately, operators are tapping into digital micro-influencers. Safaricom in Kenya's Valentine's campaign (#AccessorizeWithLove) strategically matched nano and micro-influencers to different platforms (Twitter, Facebook, TikTok), generating over 4 million impressions through authentic content rather than scripted corporate messages.
The challenge for telecom operators isn't choosing between these trends but managing all of them simultaneously. Physical stores need reimagining while AI copilots roll out, loyalty programs must evolve while community networks expand. Each trend reinforces the others: repair-focused stores support device financing, AI tools help small agents compete with flagship locations, loyalty bundles drive engagement with physical touchpoints.
About Estel
Platforms like Estel help operators orchestrate these moving parts into cohesive distribution strategies tailored to their specific markets.
For loyalty and retention specifically, see what Pelatro is doing.
